Via nodes meandering along the Leie from Deinze to Ghent - extended

This is an extended version of Via junctions meandering along the Leie from Deinze to Ghent that you can find here. Extra loop to Machelen and the old Lys on the ring canal.

This flat ride aims to take a look at the villas of the jet set along the Leie. Many people know the stretch between Bachte Maria Leerne and Sint-Martens-Latem , but further along, along the old Leie arm and between Deinze and the old sashuis, the million-dollar villas are also located on the rippling Leie.

Because I wanted to include the Leiehoek in Machelen in the course, there is a loop along part of the straightened Leie. It is certainly worthwhile to walk around until Roger Raveelplein , because the route itself does not pass through this beautiful location between junctions 84 and 85.

Also in Deurle, between nodes 86 and 76, it is a nice piece to drive towards node 20 to the church and return.

In Afsnee at the church, driving to the ferry that is still operated by hand is also recommended!

The route starts at the church in Baarle between junctions 71 and 72. This is the closest point to the motorway. Those who want to come by train can start at the station of Drongen or Deinze.

From Baarle it goes via the castle of Crombrugghe to the connecting canal , first to the Briemeersen where the straightened Leie splits into the canal and the natural Leie. We cycle on to Machelen, home of painter Roger Raveel and worth a stopover.

Via quiet fields we come again to the Briemeersen in Deinze. From here we largely follow the Leie. The building frenzy is in full swing here (2023) for the construction of apartments, but once outside the city center, the 'villas with garden up to the banks of the Leie with jetty' are neatly next to each other.

The sas van Astene is a picture as we would only expect in Holland, and a little further the castle of Ooidonk is more than worth it. A beautiful street in Sint-Maria-Leerne takes us further to Deurle , well worth a detour to the church.

Due to too much golf course , you have to wait until Baarle to see the Leie again. It continues to the Steiger van Sint-Martens-Latem , a view that could come straight out of a tourist brochure. The village of artists is more than worth the visit! Past Klein-Gent we arrive at the E40 where we pass under, to rejoin the Leie via Afsnee (be sure to take a look at the ferry!) to the Ringvaart.

We now return along the other bank of the Leie, pass the Afsnee ferry and now come along a narrow path of the Oude Leie. Once over the Pontbrug we see on the left the Abbey of Drongen where a new type of high-tech spinning machine, Crompton's 'mule jenny' was smuggled from England.

We soon arrive at the old Leiearm again, which we follow until the E40. A few kilometers further we return to the starting point via the Baarle ferry .

Be sure to also consult the information about the sights once you are there . They explain what you get to see!

7/2023